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There can often be consequences which may not have been considered...
Running a fleet is hard work. Let's face it, legislation around vehicles, drivers, what you can and cannot do in relation to all things vehicle-based, makes the fleet manager's job increasingly challenging.
Your fleet may be self-insured or covered with a significant excess deduction, when almost inevitably, your driver is hit by a third party. A number of companies involved in the claim process may immediately recommend or refer your incident to a Credit Hire Organisation (CHO). This may appear great to start with; a shiny new vehicle is delivered before you can even mention 'need' or whether you could even afford to hire the vehicle at Credit Hire rates!
We applaud the fact your driver is kept on the road with very little interruption. However, that is not always the end of the hire claim process....
Credit hire contracts often state that if the invoice amount is not recoverable from the third party insurer, you the fleet operator are liable for the charges. The paperwork you may have signed at the beginning of the claim had all the small print detailing this, but as human beings, time is precious and we do not always take the necessary time to decipher and consider the ramifications of the detail.
The amount CHO's charge can be significant but the question is, can you afford to pay for this when things go awry? Was the repair delayed by your driver? Did you have the right vehicle? Did you need to hire a vehicle? Were you impecunious? You are already hooked into the contract... from here, you may be expected to complete all manner of witness statements, declarations and legal forms, and you (not the hire company) could be obliged to attend a Court hearing to justify the expenses. This may not only be stressful, but will certainly be a distraction from the day job of running your fleet!
There is an alternative
At Opus, we appreciate that you may require and obtain a replacement vehicle hired in the traditional sense. By strictly monitoring the repair process from start to finish, we can ensure off-road time is mitigated and subsequently, so are your losses. Traditional hire costs are, by comparison to Credit Hire rates, significantly lower which, let's face it, is far more palatable for the third party insurer. All of which, makes recovery from third party substantially more successful and you will not ever deal with the fall out of inflated claims costs and an eye-watering bill to pay!
Call us today to find out how we can support you and your fleet.